FWC: Elderly man arrested for hunting gopher tortoises in Sorrento

SORRENTO — An elderly man who said he was hunting for dinner was arrested Tuesday when an officer reportedly found him digging up gopher tortoises.

According to an arrest affidavit, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission received a complaint about an elderly black man digging up gopher tortoises near the intersection of State Road 44 and County Road 46A in Sorrento.

The FWC officer found two gopher tortoises side by side in a plastic container in the cab of a pickup owned by Nathaniel Harris Sr., 79, of DeLand. About 200 feet away, the officer spotted Harris shoving a long wooden pole — about 17 feet long with a hook on the end — into a hole.

When asked what he was doing, Harris reportedly said, "I'm catching gopher tortoises. Taking them home to eat."

The officer informed Harris that gopher tortoises are a protected species and it's illegal to take, kill or destroy the animal. Harris was told to remove the tote containing the two live tortoises from his truck, and one was reportedly injured. A rifle was also seized from the vehicle.

Harris was charged with possession/take of a threatened species and taken to the Lake County Jail.